Nothing
wrong with students staying sober
Elizabeth Holmes
Although Cal State Long Beach is a dry campus, I have come to realize that CSULB
students, like nearly every other campus’ students in the country, have
the ability to drown in alcohol if they wish. I had already lost track of the
invitations to parties involving drinking by the second week
of school.
While I recognize drinking is illegal on campus, and underage drinking is illegal
everywhere, I am not spying on my hallmates and running to my Resident Assistant
to report as many people as I can that week. I doubt I am different than most
other students here at CSULB in that respect.
However, I am set apart because I choose not to drink. Besides the obvious reason
of me being under the legal drinking age, I have my reasons for choosing to remain
alcohol free, other than that little thing called a law.
The biggest response I receive after informing people I do not drink is that
I do not know what I am missing. True, I do not know, as I have never been under
the influence. However, I do not feel anything missing or lacking in my life.
I make enough mistakes and ridiculous comments while sober to convince people
I am drunk. I do not need a social lubricant to get me to start joking around
with friends or to relax after a day’s work.
True, there are many people who do not drink to get drunk, and if they are of
legal age, I cannot criticize them for their actions, especially off campus.
I choose to stay away from any firewater myself, because I do not have any desire
at all to risk becoming drunk.
I am not a control freak, I swear, but I love
being in control of all my actions at all times. I want to make sure I am responsible
for everything I do.
I also choose not to drink based on religious grounds. While Jesus, in biblical
stories, accepted both complete abstinence from alcohol and moderate drinking,
total drunkenness is warned against numerous times through the New Testament.
As a Christian, I also have noticed the Bible recommends not breaking laws. And
there we go back to the whole underage drinking issue.
I do not know what you really think about me not drinking. But it does not matter
because I am proud I decided to wait until I am legally allowed to consume alcohol.
I have many friends who drink, both legally and illegally, and whether or not
I agree with their actions, I still love and accept them.
I just ask that if you happen to be somewhere where there is someone not drinking,
do not immediately try to change his or her ways.
I do not criticize people who
find pleasure in a little bit of alcohol, and I hope others do not criticize
my decision not to.
Elizabeth Holmes is a freshman linguistics major.
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